Statement on inquest of Ollie

The thoughts and sympathies of everyone at Meningitis Now is with the parents and family of Ollie Hall this week as the inquest into his death in 2017 is held

We have been supporting the family since the tragic events of that day and will continue to support them for as long as they need us.

The inquest in Ipswich heard that Ollie died aged six from MenB, after his parents raised the alarm about his symptoms and took him first to the GP and later to the local hospital. In between he was seen by paramedics, who thought he did not have meningitis.

Meningitis Now CEO Dr Tom Nutt said, “Ollie’s parents Georgie and Bryan did everything right. They noticed his symptoms. They sought help. It is an absolute tragedy that they could not prevent the death of their son."

"We are concerned that the coroner ruled that there was gross neglect in this case and we will follow his report closely."

“What this case clearly highlights is how difficult it can be to diagnose meningitis and how easily it can be missed. Meningitis is a rare disease in the UK and most babies are now routinely vaccinated against the strain that took Oliver’s life."

“This case also highlights the need for parents to know the signs and symptoms of the disease and that, like Georgie, they should trust their instincts and seek medical help as quickly as possible."

“Oliver, like many children, was too old to get the MenB vaccination - which was introduced in 2015. Whilst uptake is over 90% of those eligible to get the vaccine, no vaccine is 100% effective so the first line of defence is always to know the signs and symptoms of the disease."

“We urge all parents to check if their child has received this vaccination and if their children hasn’t had the jab, they should so as soon as possible.”